Hainan

Hainan is China's answer to Hawaii: a tropical island with palm-fringed beaches, rainforest in the mountains, and hotels strung along long bays. Vacations on Hainan center mainly on the south around Sanya, but the east coast with Wanning, Qionghai, and Lingshui offers quieter beaches and surf spots.

Sanya and the South Coast

The city of Sanya, with its districts of Jiyang and Tianya, is the heart of the island's tourism. In Yalong Bay, international resorts line the fine sand, while Dadonghai Bay is more urban and lively. Haitang Bay in northeastern Sanya is known for its large hotel complexes and a huge duty-free shopping mall. At the rock formation Tianya Haijiao, the "End of the Sky, Edge of the Sea," couples pose in front of inscribed granite boulders; in Nanshan Park, a 108-meter-tall statue of Guanyin stands in the sea.

Hainan Attractions Beyond Sanya

In Lingshui, you'll want to visit Nanwan Monkey Island, which you can reach by cable car, and the fishing village with the floating houseboats of the Tanka people. Wanning draws visitors with Riyue Bay, China's best-known surf beach, and the small town of Xinglong, where overseas Chinese who returned from Southeast Asia grow coffee. Qionghai is home to the Boao Forum for Asia and has a tranquil lagoon landscape along the Wanquan River. In the mountainous interior around Wuzhi Shan live the Li and Miao peoples, whose weaving is protected as intangible cultural heritage; rainforest parks such as Yanoda offer suspension bridges and hiking trails. Haikou in the north has an old town with arcaded houses in the Southeast Asian style. If you're looking for peace and quiet, you'll find long, little-developed beaches in Shimei Bay near Wanning.

Food, Getting There, and the Best Time to Visit

Hainan's four famous dishes are Wenchang chicken, Jiaji duck, Dongshan goat, and Hele crab. You'll also find fresh coconuts, mangoes, and coconut rice, Hainan rice noodles, and qingbuliang, a sweet dessert made with coconut milk. Sanya and Haikou have major airports, and a high-speed railway circles the island. As a free trade port, Hainan offers duty-free shopping for visitors. The best time to visit is between November and April, when it is warm and dry; prices are very high around Chinese New Year, and typhoons threaten in summer and fall. Because of the strong sun, you should use sun protection even in winter.